S.O.P.H.I.A.
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Posts posted by S.O.P.H.I.A.
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The Sims 4 has partnered with model Winnie Harlow and added a range of Vitiligo skin details to the game as part of a free update.
Vitiligo is a long-term condition where pale white patches develop on the skin. This is caused by a lack of melanin, the pigment in skin. Sims 4 players will now be able to customise their Sims with Vitiligo skin details, with patches for the face, upper torso, lower torso, arms, and legs now available in the Create-A-Sim menu.
These details are available for Sims of all ages, from infants to elders. Several Vitiligo patterns will have "more than one variant", the Sims team said, calling skin details an "important area of focus for the dev team as we remain committed to expanding representation in The Sims 4". Other skin features already in the game include birthmarks, stretch marks, scars, and freckles.
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After one year of exclusivity on the Epic Games Store, Dead Island 2 will release on Steam in April.
Publisher Deep Silver announced the release yesterday, as well as discounts on other games in the series on Steam.
This includes 85 percent off Dead Island Definitive Edition and 75 percent off Dead Island Retro Revenge. However, the publisher is also giving away Dead Island: Riptide - Definitive Edition for free.
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Yoshitaka Murayama, creator of the Suikoden RPG series and scenario writer for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes, has passed away.
The news was shared by Rabbit & Bear Studios, which Murayama founded to produce the Eiyuden Chronicle games.
"It's with a heavy heart and deep sadness we must inform you that the scenario writer and head of Rabbit & Bear Studios, Yoshitaka Murayama, has passed away on February 6th due to complications with an ongoing illness," reads the statement.
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Don't expect new games in any of PlayStation's biggest existing franchises before the end of this financial year, Sony has said.
That means no new entry in the God of War or Marvel's Spider-Man franchises until at least April 2025, according to Sony president Hiroki Totoki.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, currently listed with a vague "2025" release date, will therefore launch later than March. Don't expect to see other big PlayStation properties such as Uncharted, The Last of Us, Ratchet & Clank or Horizon before then, either. It's also unclear where a potential Ghost of Tsushima sequel fits in.
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Larian Studios has announced more fixes coming to Baldur's Gate 3 with Patch 6, as well as its beefy install size.
Due some point this week, Larian already let us know the patch will add new idle animations for party members in camp and improve smooches (just in time for Valentine's Day).
In a new thread on X, Larian revealed Patch 6 has "more than just romance" and will add bug fixes and some gameplay improvements which should help make party management much easier.
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Sony had a record quarter for PlayStation sales and revenue, but expects console sales to decline in the next fiscal year.
According to its latest financial report, Sony sold a further 8.2m PlayStation 5 consoles, bringing its lifetime total to 54.7m. That's 16.4m consoles sold this financial year so far.
However, Sony has dropped its expected sales forecast across its gaming segment for the year by five percent, due to an expected decrease in hardware sales and increase in losses due to promotions.
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Bloober Team's CEO has said he understands the critism around the recent Silent Hill 2 Remake trailer, which didn't "capture the spirit of the game".
The trailer in question was a combat-focused marketing beat by publisher Konami, and as Matt said at the time, combat is not exactly the first thing you think of when you think of Silent Hill 2. It probably isn't even the second or third. And yet, this was what Konami decided to hone in on during PlayStation's recent State of Play.
However, reactions afterwards weren't exactly enthusiastic. "The nurse vaulting over the wall like it's a tactical shooter is hilarious," one comment under the original trailer reads. Another remarked the game looks more like it's from 2014, than 2024. Others said it looked more like a fan-made remake.
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Crystal Dynamics and Aspyr's Tomb Raider 1 - 3 Remastered is scheduled to come out tomorrow, February 14, 2024. Ahead of the game launch, Crystal Dynamics issued a content warning stating that the game has racial and ethnic stereotypes.
In a statement to IGN, Crystal Dynamics explained that it decided to keep these stereotypes in the remastered game in "hopes that we may acknowledge its harmful impact and learn from it." The full statement reads:
"The games in this collection contain offensive depictions of people and cultures rooted in racial and ethnic prejudices. These stereotypes are deeply harmful, inexcusable, and do not align with our values at Crystal Dynamics.
"Rather than removing this content, we have chosen to present it here in its original form, unaltered, in the hopes that we may acknowledge its harmful impact and learn from it."
Tomb Raider 1 - 3 Remastered will launch on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. For more gaming news, check out our story detailing the cast of Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth.
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Destiny 2's latest cosmetic collaboration is now live, allowing you to fight for the solar system with armor inspired by Commander Shepard and a couple of fan-favorite members of the Normandy's crew. The new cosmetics are inspired by BioWare's Mass Effect games, offering three sets of armor ornaments alongside a Ghost shell, Sparrow, ship, emote, and finisher.
You can find the cosmetics in the Eververse shop, where the armor sets can be purchased with Silver, Destiny 2's premium currency. There are three sets of armor ornaments, with one for each character class. They cost 2,000 Silver, or about $20 USD, for each.
The collaboration's armor ornament sets are each modeled after a different Mass Effect character. Titans get a look modeled after Shepard's N7 gear, while Hunters can dress to look like Garrus Vakarian, and Warlocks get a set inspired by Liara T'soni.
In addition to the premium armor ornaments, the collaboration offers an emote called Flux Dance, modeled after Shepard's iconic dancing from the Flux club on the Citadel, and a finisher called Omni Strike, similar to the melee attack Shepard can use in Mass Effect 3. The emote costs 1,200 Silver, or about $12, while the finisher will run you 1,000 Silver, or about $10.
You don't have to purchase anything to get some Mass Effect gear in Destiny 2, though. While you have to buy the armor ornaments with premium currency, the Sparrow, Ghost shell, and ship are all available for free.
The ship, the Alliance Scout Frigate, is inspired by Commander Shepard's Normandy SR-2 from Mass Effect 2, while the Alliance Drop Ship Sparrow is made to look like everybody's favorite six-wheeled ground vehicle, the Mako from Mass Effect 1. Finally, there's the Enhanced Defense Shell, a Ghost take on the robotic head of EDI from Mass Effect 3.
While you're in the Eververse store, you'll want to check out one other free offer. Bungie is providing all players with a batch of 800 Bright Dust, its earnable Eververse currency, as part of its Lunar New Year celebration. Look for both the free Mass Effect items and the Bright Dust offer on the Eververse store's home page.
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One of the best ways to acquire resources, increase your Infamy Rank, and gain XP in Skull and Bones is through Plundering. This feature allows you to take on an entire settlement, guard towers, and several ships all in the name of securing some precious loot.
The Plundering system in Skull and Bones can be somewhat complicated when you first see it, though. You have the option to Plunder a plethora of small settlements across the map, which begins a staged engagement you need to survive in order to secure the maximum amount of rewards. To see exactly how to Plunder your way to victory in Skull and Bones, take a look at the guide below.
How Plunder works in Skull and Bones
First and foremost, you can only Plunder settlements that you're unable to dock at on the map. This means a settlement like Sainte-Anne or the Sacred Tree can't be plundered. Instead, you need to look for settlements that don't have the fast travel icon on them or are surrounded by a guard tower or two. As you can see in the screenshot below, my ship is right near two guard towers along with a small settlement.
When you approach one of these settlements, two options will appear on your screen: "Interact" and "Plunder." If you choose the interact option, a menu pops up that allows you to trade with the settlement. You can also complete contracts and other quests this way.
The Plunder option rolls a small cutscene that shows some of your crew members getting off the ship. After the cutscene plays, you'll be in combat with the settlement and any guard towers that are nearby. At the top of your screen will be text that says "Kill all enemies" and two icons, one of a tower and another of a ship. If either of those icons is lit red with a number next to it, you need to eliminate whatever it's telling you.
For example, if you see the ship icon is red with a "1" next to it, there is a single ship nearby you need to take down, either by sinking or boarding it. If the tower icon is red, you need to deplete the HP of any nearby guard towers or the settlement itself. Once you have eliminated everything you need to, you'll see a gold treasure chest icon appear on your HUD. Go over to the icon's location to loot your rewards.
You'll also see four treasure chest icons at the top of your screen, which indicate your current progress in the Plunder. To fully complete a Plunder, you need to loot four treasure chests, which means eliminating four stages of enemy ships/towers. Each stage brings new enemies to defeat, and you have to defeat them over and over to complete the Plunder. After each stage is finished, you can loot another treasure chest in the water.
When the final chest has been looted, a cutscene plays showing your crew coming back aboard the ship and you'll get a notification on your screen that says "Plunder Completed." You can eventually go back and Plunder the same location again, but only after a cooldown period has passed.
Plundering is a high-risk, high-reward task in Skull and Bones. You can make out like a bandit with a ton of loot, but there are also multiple enemies all trying to take down your ship at once. I recommend starting in the lower-level areas of the map when you first try to Plunder a settlement and only work your way up after you've upgraded your ship's armor and weapons.
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Get To Know Our Team
Evie
Game Release Support ManagerHi, everyone! Wynn, here. Back with another Xbox Insider Team interview. Today we’re chatting with Evie—a Game Release Support Manager who helps Xbox launch and support their first-party titles. How’s it going, Evie?
It’s going really well, Wynn! Very excited to be here talking with our Xbox Insiders.
Well then let’s dive right in. Let’s tell everyone a little about Evie.
Well, first things first. I’ve loved gaming my entire life. So much so that I knew from a fairly young age that I wanted to go to school for game design / work in the gaming industry.
Was there a particular game or experience that influenced that decision, or was it something you just always wanted to do?
A little bit of both. I always thought games were awesome, but there was a specific moment that really solidified my decision. My older sister had gotten stuck on this mission in the original Assassin’s Creed game. Well, I was watching her, and she asked me to try and get her past this one spot—as she was heading out to meet some friends—but to stop after I finished that mission. She didn’t want to miss any of the story.
Haha. I think I see where this is going.
Oh yeah. I literally couldn’t stop playing! I beat the rest of the game that night; I just loved it. The way it blended real history into the story was just so fascinating to me. I had never played a game like that before. Then, I played the second one when it came out a few years later, fell even more in love, and the rest is history. From that point on, I knew I wanted to make games that impacted others the same way that the Assassin’s Creed series impacted me, so I went to school for game design and graduated with honors in 2021.
Much better than my route. Loved games and wanted to go to school for it. But I ended up dropping out of college to go the “starving artist” route. Did a lot of starving and much less art than I would’ve liked.
Oh, I feel that! Everyone’s journey is different, for sure, and mine had its ups and downs. I loved every second of my game design college experience, though. It was a really tough curriculum, but it pushed me to be a better artist and I’m grateful for it.
So, you’re fresh out of college, ready to design games. What happens next?
It’s funny you should ask. I actually started at Xbox the day after I finished college! The timing was unreal. I legit turned in my last college assignment at 6:00pm on a Sunday and then started at Xbox at 9:00am the next day.
All right. Well, I’m unbelievably jealous. That’s incredible.
It really was. A few years before Xbox, I was working at my local mall at a LUSH cosmetics store that was across from one of those Microsoft Specialty Kiosks. I was always over at the kiosk talking to the team about the newest games and tech during my breaks. When a spot opened on their team, they told me to apply since I was so passionate about the industry… and I got it!
Oh, that’s sick! I started off in MS Retail as well. Love to see fellow Retail peeps making it big.
Absolutely! My time at Retail was a lot of fun—I met amazing people, made a lot of great memories, and I learned a lot. But, of course, it wasn’t without its own struggles.
Pray tell?
Well, barely three months after I started at Microsoft, they closed all of the Specialty Kiosks. I lost my job. I was seriously so devastated. The remaining Microsoft “full-line” store in my city only had a single spot on their team available at the time, and everyone I knew that got let go applied for it. For some reason, I just knew that my story with Microsoft wasn’t finished yet, so I applied for it too. I really hoped that they’d see my passion/potential and give me a shot despite only being with the company for a few months. Thankfully they did, and I got the role!
Then, less than a year later in March 2020, all the physical Microsoft Stores permanently closed due to COVID. All retail folks were moved to digital sales, which I did for about a year and a half while I was finishing school. About a month before I graduated, they opened a nationwide offer for 10 people to join Team Xbox. There were hundreds and hundreds of people that applied, and I was able to be one of those lucky 10!
Wow! That’s impressive. Literally batting 1.000 with your survival streak.
Yeah, I’m incredibly grateful for all the opportunities that I’ve had throughout my Microsoft career.
Big same. So, you get this Xbox gig. Was that on this team?
Not originally. We all started as Customer Success Managers who worked on the Xbox Forums. We answered questions and escalated issues that customers were reporting. We’ve all since spread throughout Team Xbox, and a few of us made our way over to this team!
Excellent. Love to hear there’s even more Retail people here.
So, I know you’ve only been on the team for a couple of years, but has there been anything you were just super psyched to work on?
Working with the first-party studios—like Turn 10 and Bethesda—has been the most exciting thing I get to do on the daily. Which is actually part of what I was most stoked about doing last year. I supported Bethesda with the Starfield launch! Working with the studio and developers during the months leading up to the launch was an amazing experience.
What a coincidence! The Starfield launch window was literally when I was finding out I was getting this role, so it holds a special place in my heart too.
Aw, I love to hear that! That’s amazing.
Is there anything you’re working on right now that you can tell us about?
Unfortunately, things have to be a little tight-lipped for most of my projects. I’m working on some exciting releases throughout the rest of the year, so I can say that our Xbox Insiders should be on the lookout for some cool game flights coming down the pipeline!
We absolutely love to see it.
Okay, let’s do some rapid fire. Normally I start with favorite game, but we’ve got that covered. What’re you jamming to recently music wise?
My music tastes are seriously all over the place. I like to listen to everything from hardcore to indie folk. Phonk and Darkwave are probably some of my favorite genres right now. I really like to listen to that kind of stuff while I’m gaming, especially when it’s games like CoD.
I’ve also been super into the band Heilung recently.
I’m not sure I’m familiar with them.
They’re the band that’s doing the soundtrack for the second Hellblade game!
Oh! The one we had on stage. That’s super cool.
Yeah, I saw them in concert a few months back and I just cannot stop listening to their music. Listening to them and seeing them live is like being transported back to the Iron Age. I think they’re just amazing.
I’ll have to check out their stuff then.
Moving on. Any shows you like to binge or movies you like to re-watch?
I really like binging competition shows. Like, I will drop everything and binge The Great British Baking Show whenever a new season drops! I’m also shamelessly into romance / period pieces like Bridgerton or Outlander. Scary shows like The Haunting of Hill House, and the French horror series Marianne, are some additional all-time favorites.
All of Mike Flanagan’s Netflix stuff is top tier. The Fall of the House of Usher was sublime.
Right? He’s so good.
Aside from shows, I do have a few comfort movies. The Dark Knight trilogy is a fave. The 2005 Pride and Prejudice is amazing. Oh, and I love The Lord of the Rings trilogy… Extended Edition only of course. Those get yearly rewatches for sure.
I’m resisting the urge to spend the next 15 minutes debating which Pride and Prejudice is better, but I’ll just say that Colin Firth is the best Mr. Darcy.
Mmm. Agree to disagree! Haha.
Do you have any interests or hobbies outside of gaming/tech?
Let’s see. I cross-stich, I garden, I just started making candles, and I really like baking.
Oh, and I want to start making mead!
Oh, got it. You want to live in Pride & Prejudice. This is all making sense now.
You’re not entirely wrong! I also love animals, always have. I volunteer for a wildlife rescue on the side, which came in handy a few months ago when I had to save a bat that flew into my apartment.
I’m sorry. What’s good?
Haha. Yeah, it was pretty intense.
I bet! I’m kinda petrified of bats because of the whole, “They can bite you without you knowing and transfer a disease to you that kills you before you know you’re infected” thing.
Like a totally rational person.
That was definitely something I was keeping in mind! Bat bites and diseases are no joke. Luckily, I took many precautions while handling / caring for it, before delivering the little one to the wildlife rehab center the next day.
Well, aside from apparently being a professional bat-wrangler, is there anything else of note?
Another neat thing about me is that I am a twin! Fraternal, not identical. She’s awesome. We’re super close and she’s my best friend. Also, in case anyone is curious, I am the older twin. By two minutes!
As an older sibling, I know the importance of making that distinction.
Well, it’s been great chatting with you Evie. Any final words for the Community?
Just that I’m so excited to be part of the Xbox Insider Team and I think 2024 is going to be an incredible year for the entire program. There’re all kinds of amazing things happening. I’m excited for everyone to see what we have in store!
Beautifully said, Evie. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Xbox Insiders, be sure to be on the lookout for more content all throughout February including more interviews from the team, a trip down memory lane, and so much more. All of our 10th Anniversary content can be found on our Hub Page.
Until next time! Wy\nn/
The post Get To Know Our Team: Evie – Game Release Support Manager appeared first on Xbox Wire.
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As you might expect from a pirate game with ship-building elements like Skull and Bones, precious metals are an extremely valuable commodity. During the early game of Skull and Bones, you'll start off with a great need for Iron, but that quickly turns into a demand for Bronze, which is made by using Copper.
Bronze Ingots are a requirement in dozens of crafting recipes that pop up as you begin to establish yourself as a bonafide pirate. As such, you'll need to know where to find Copper so you can harvest it. You'll also need to know what to do with it after you've added the ore to your inventory. Below, you can see exactly where to find Copper in Skull and Bones.
Finding Copper in Skull and Bones
There are a few different locations across the East Indies that allow you to mine Copper, but the best spot is just south of the Sacred Tree outpost. The Sacred Tree is located along a narrow canal near the Hova Hill spot west of Sainte-Anne. South of the outpost, you can keep following the canal to reach a trading settlement and a couple of guard towers.
Around these guard towers, you can find a couple of Copper ore veins along the shoreline. One of the spots is on the right side of the towers while the other is in between them on a small island. You can see both locations in the map screenshot below:
Before you start mining the copper, you will have to own a Pickaxe I. This is made at the Carpenter's shop in Sainte-Anne for two Torn Sails and one Broken Plank. Once you have your Pickaxe, you can go up to a Copper ore vein, which is indicated by shiny rocks along the shore, and press the "Harvest" button that appears on the screen.
This leads to a small mini-game where you need to press a button when your pickaxe lands in the green zone. However, I suggest just turning on the "Auto-Harvest" option in the settings, as this makes harvesting much faster and eliminates the mini-game altogether. Unfortunately, this does mean you get fewer resources. If you want the true Skull and Bones experience, you can leave Auto-Harvest off and loot your materials the old-fashioned way.
In any case, once you're done mining a Copper ore vein, check to see if there are any more near the one just mined. If there aren't, then try to find another or simply head back to Sainte-Anne to take your new Copper Ore deposits and turn them into Bronze Ingots at the Refinery shop.
The Refinery makes Copper Ore into Bronze Ingots for a small fee. You can have the Refinery make as many Bronze Ingots as possible (three Copper makes one ingot) and once they're done, you can loot the finished ingots from the "Finished Goods" tab in the Refinery menu.
If you want to make a new ship or craft some new blueprints, you'll need quite a hefty amount of Copper and Bronze Ingots, so I recommend making several trips to the ore veins south of the Sacred Tree.
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Destiny 2's next expansion, The Final Shape, drops later this June, and PC players can get caught up on the game's entire storyline for cheap thanks to Humble's new Destiny 2: The Story So Far bundle. The bundle includes six DLC expansions covering all playable content from the game's six-year run for just $40 total, which is less than what many of these packs were priced at launch.
If you don't want to pay $40, you can also grab smaller versions of the bundle with less content, starting with an $8 option that includes Destiny 2: Forsaken Pack and Destiny 2: Shadowkeep, which formed years two and three, respectively. The $12 version adds three more expansions: Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Destiny 2: Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack, and Destiny 2: The Witch Queen.
For $20, you get all six main DLC packs, including all five expansions from the previous tiers and the latest release, Destiny 2: Lightfall. However, if you pay $40, you get the six expansions plus the Destiny 2: Lightfall season pass, which will get you entirely caught up before The Final Shape drops.
Players can download the base Destiny 2 game for free on Steam, and all DLC packs purchased in this Humble Bundle deal are delivered as official Steam game codes. The deal is not available for the console versions or non-Steam PC versions of the game.
Humble's Destiny 2: The Story So Far bundle is available until Wednesday, February 28.
While this bundle will get you all the playable Destiny 2 content available right now, you can complete your Destiny 2 experience by preordering the Steam version of The Final Shape at GMG for just $41 (was $50), or the expansion plus season pass bundle for $82 (was $100). These prices are exclusive to GMG XP members, which is free to join but requires you to make one purchase of $1 or more to unlock the discounts. You can also preorder the standard edition of The Final Shape at Fanatical for $42.49 (was $50) or the version with the season pass for $85 (was $100) until February 27.
Disclosure: GameSpot and Fanatical are both owned by Fandom.
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2024 is a leap year, meaning there are 29 days in February--something that only happens every four years. In recognition of this uncommon calendar event, Fanatical is offering a special Leap Year build-your-own bundle deal that includes tons of great indie PC games for less than a dollar each. The deal starts at $1 for one game, or you can grab five games for $3, or 10 for $5, making this a super affordable bundle.
There are plenty of great indies to pack your Leap Year bundle with. The headliner title is Towaga: Among Shadows, a 2D shoot-'em-up title with hand-drawn animation. 2D shooters seem to be the theme of the bundle, in fact, with other titles from various shooter styles on offer like the heavy metal-tinged action-platformers Valfaris and Slain: Back From Hell. If you're into survivor-likes, there's Spellbound Survivors, while fans of top-down twin-stick shooters can grab From Space and 12 Is Better Than 6.
It's not all 2D shooters, however. You can also grab RPGs like Restless Soul and Deepsky Derelicts: Definitive Edition, the action-adventure platformer Alwa's Awakening, and 3D stealth-action game Undetected, just to name a few. There are even multi-game packs like the Postal Paradise Pack, Unity of Command Trilogy Bundle, and more. All games purchased are delivered as official game keys you redeem via Steam.
While 20 titles are listed as possible picks for your Leap Year bundle, availability is limited and at least one game--the humorous 2D side-scroller Sigi--has already sold out. Stock is also low on the cyberpunk precision platformer Velocity Noodle and the SMG Studio Triple Pack, which includes Death Squared, OTTTD, and One More Line. Go grab these games and the bundle while they're still available.
All Leap Year bundles come with a digital coupon for 5% off your next Fanatical order. While the bundle maxes out at $10, if you spend $12 or more at Fanatical during its Lunar New Year sale, you also get a free Lunar Sale Red Envelope that contains a mystery bonus game or coupon code, so it's worth adding one of the many games on sale at Fanatical to your order to get the extra gift.
Disclosure: GameSpot and Fanatical are both owned by Fandom.
Fanatical Build Your Own Leap Year Bundle
- A Tale of Paper: Refolded Edition
- Sir Lovelot
- Spellbound Survivors
- Donout Dogo
- Towaga: Among Shadows
- Velocity Noodle (Low stock)
- Restless Soul
- Deep Sky Derelicts: Definitive Edition
- Undetected
- Alwa's Awakening
- Valfaris
- Slain: Back from Hell
- Monster Slayers - Complete Edition
- Blackhole
- From Space
- 12 Is Better Than 6
- Unity of Command Trilogy Bundle
- Postal paradise Pack
- Death Squared, OTTTD, and One More Line Triple Pack (Low stock)
- Sigi (sold out)
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DC Universe Online developer Dimensional Ink Games and its publisher Daybreak Game Company have been hit with layoffs.
According to Kotaku, Dimensional Ink lost an unknown number of senior staff, with Game Developer reporting reductions in the art, community, and narrative departments. The team is best known for developing the superhero MMO DC Universe Online. Daybreak Games (formerly Sony Online Entertainment) has worked on several multiplayer games, including EverQuest II, H1Z1, Star Wars Galaxies, and Planetside 2. The exact number of affected employees from both studios is currently unknown.
This is, unfortunately, the latest of an alarming trend of game industry layoffs that plagued 2023 and have only intensified in 2024. Over 5,500 jobs have been cut within January alone. Last year, over 10,000 employees in the games industry or game-adjacent industries were laid off.
Among others this year, Embracer laid off 97 employees at Deux Ex developer Eidos-Montréal, Destroy All Humans remake developer Black Forest Games reportedly laid off 50 employees, Microsoft laid off 1,900 employees across its Xbox, Activision Blizzard, and ZeniMax, Outriders studio People Can Fly laid off more than 30 employees, and League of Legends company Riot Games laid off 530 employees.
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There are numerous preorder bonuses you can claim in Skull and Bones, with one of them being the Ashen Corsair set. This cosmetic set gives you 11 total cosmetic items for your ship, allowing you to immediately deck out your vessel and stand out on the high seas.
However, Skull and Bones doesn't do a terrific job of telling you exactly how to claim the Ashen Corsair set and the rest of your preorder bonuses. Fortunately, you can check the guide below to see how to claim your bonuses and where to go to equip them in Skull and Bones.
Claiming the Ashen Corsair Set in Skull and Bones
To claim the Ashen Corsair set or any other of your preorder bonuses, you need to check the Mailbox station in the settlement of Sainte-Anne. Sainte-Anne is the hub in Skull and Bones and the first major settlement you'll visit after the tutorial missions.
The Mailbox station in Sainte-Anne is located to the right of the dock and you can find it by looking for the envelope icon, as seen in the screenshot below:
At the Mailbox, you can claim all sorts of rewards in Skull and Bones, including your preorder bonuses. When you open the Mailbox, you'll see various unopened letters from "A Son of Liberty." The preorder bonuses are marked with "Premium Edition" on the letters, and one of them contains the Ashen Corsair set. Just keep clicking on the unopened letters until you find the one that says "Ashen Corsair" under the "Ready to claim" tab.
Equipping the Ashen Corsair set
Once you've claimed the Ashen Corsair set, head to any dock and press the "Disembark" button. This brings you to a menu where you can choose to "Manage Ship." Under this section, you can change out your ship cosmetics, which is where all of your new Ashen Corsair cosmetics are located. You can choose to equip the entirety of the Ashen Corsair set as a whole or equip each item individually.
The Ashen Corsair set features lit torches, black sails, a red paint job, and skulls and bones all over the ship.
Starting the Ashen Corsair Investigation
In addition to the Ashen Corsair set in Skull and Bones, your preorder bonuses also include the Ashen Corsair investigation. This is an exclusive quest that you can complete for a vanity cosmetic reward.
However, you can't start this quest until you unlock the "Investigations" menu in Skull and Bones. You unlock Investigations after reaching the Brigand Infamy Rank. Once this happens, check your Mailbox to find a newspaper that starts the Ashen Corsair Investigation. You'll also have the Investigations menu unlocked in your Journal, which can be reached by going to your map and pressing G on PC/X on Xbox/Square on PlayStation.
Brigand is the sixth Infamy Rank in Skull and Bones, so it will take some time to reach. I suggest completing main story quests, contracts, and venturing to new regions to blow through the Infamy Ranks as quickly as possible.
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With Valentine's Day around the corner, love is in the air. Nothing says "I love you" like taking off your shirt before quite literally tear someone's heart out.
As noted by the official X/Twitter account for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, players will soon be able to download a free shirtless outfit for Johnny.
"He'll show you how real farmin' is done. Shirtless Johnny will be coming to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as a free cosmetic for everyone. Details to be announced soon."
He'll show you how real farmin' is done. Shirtless Johnny will be coming to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as a free cosmetic for everyone.
— The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (@TXChainSawGame) February 13, 2024
Details to be announced soon. pic.twitter.com/7oFX1BrPmiBased on this tweet, it has become clear that Sumo Nottingham and Gun Media have been paying attention to their audience. For some time now, players have been thirsting for Johnny, and this upcoming DLC will only further that thirst, especially once the blood starts to drip down his rock-hard body.
It's also worth pointing out that he isn't the only killer that fans have taken a liking to. A good number of players also feel the same way about Sissy. In that same tweet announcing shirtless Johnny, multiple fans asked when she'll get a new outfit, only for the official account to tease that she'll be getting something "Soooon."
For more gaming news, check out our story detailing all of the changes coming to Call of Duty MW3 in the latest update.
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One of the main progression paths in Skull and Bones is upgrading your ship and its equipment. At the start of the game, you're left to sail the seas on a small raft, but eventually, you can build a behemoth of a vessel with cannons, furniture, armor, and more.
Along the way on this journey, you're presented with several different ship types as well as a variety of weapons, mostly consisting of cannons. It's important to understand what these ship types mean and what the difference is between one cannon and another so you can build a ship perfectly designed to your needs and playstyle. Below, you can see a list of every different ship and cannon type in Skull and Bones.
All Ship Types in Skull and Bones
From everything we've seen so far in Skull and Bones, there are three primary ship types: DPS, Tank, and Support. Every class of ship is given one of these types, which determines how large the ship is and what its special perks might be. For example, a Support ship such as the Sentinel has the perk "Unburden," which "restores severe damage by 0.5% and hull health by 0.5% per second." Because Support ships specialize in aiding friendly ships, their perks are usually centered around healing in some way.
A ship with the Tank ship type On the other hand, you have the DPS ship type, which specializes in sheer damage and dishing out status effects. Finally, there's the Tank ship type, specializing in overall defense and bracing to reduce incoming damage. You can see the official in-game descriptions for all three ship types below:
- Support: Specialized in aiding friendly ships, the Support excels in providing assists that can help turn the tide of a battle.
- DPS: Specialized in dealing damage and status effects, the DPS favors an aggressive playstyle.
- Tank: Specialized in bracing against incoming damage, the Tank excels in defense.
It's important to remember what ship type you have when sailing, as that can determine how aggressive you are with enemies or how you deal with party members. If you are playing in a party, it's ideal for all of you to have different ship types so you can take advantage of all the various perks that come with each type.
All Cannon Types in Skull and Bones
Moving on, now we have the different cannon types you can equip on your ship in Skull and Bones. I'll only be talking about the specific cannons in the game, so this won't encompass other weapons, such as Mortars, Bombards, Rockets, etc.
The Long Gun cannon is high-risk, high-reward. There are three main cannon types you'll see during your time in Skull and Bones, which are: Culverin, Demi-Cannon, and Long Gun. The Culverin is the earliest cannon you can equip on your ship because it's the most basic. It doesn't have great damage, but it has a moderately fast reload speed and slightly above-average range. This cannon shoots multiple shots at once, giving you the chance to deal big damage if you're accurate. You can use the Culverin anywhere, but it's best for the port or starboard side of your ship.
Next, the Demi-Cannon improves upon the Culverin's damage in a minuscule way while having a much faster reload speed, but shorter range. You also shoot multiple shots with the Demi-Cannon. It's best for the port or starboard side of your ship as well, but you just need to remember to get extra close to a ship when firing the Demi-Cannon.
Finally, the Long Gun is your sniper cannon of sorts. You only shoot one cannon at a time with the Long Gun, but that shot can do a ton of damage if it's well-placed. The range of the Long Gun is the maximum amount you can have in Skull and Bones, but this comes at the cost of reload speed. The Long Gun is perfect for the Bow of your ship, as you can point and shoot the cannon wherever your ship is facing.
As you progress in Skull and Bones, you'll gain access to better weapons outside of cannons. However, cannons never truly lose their luster when you're playing a pirate simulator.
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- Chaotic intensity from complex natural systems and wild magic: ice meteors, volcanic craters, electrified lakes, and more.
- Explore a vast, beautiful archipelago by boat, wing, and paw in this open world adventure.
- Available for preorder now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and the Windows Store.
Hello Gamers and Goblin Enthusiasts,
I’m Badru, Tenderfoot Tactics‘ director, and I’m writing this post to introduce you to the game which we just announced as coming to Xbox platforms and is available to preorder today ahead of its full release on February 21st.
Tenderfoot Tactics takes advantage of both Play Anywhere and Smart Delivery so you’ll be able to carry your squad of goblins across a variety of platforms, such as the Xbox Series S|X where you’ll be exploring the archipelago at 60fps with a native 1440p and 4k resolution (respectively).
I’ve been playing it again on my Series S and it’s such a joy to be reminded what a curious, distinctive, and gripping game it is. So, what is it?
A Rowdy, Chaotic Tactics Game with No Random Chance
Before everything else, Tenderfoot Tactics is a game about strategic thinking in small scale grid-and-turn-based combats. The battles are fast, tricky, and wild. One mistake can spiral out into a huge number of consequences, but clever play can recover a seemingly impossible battle and turn it into a win. In line with its goblin-brained ethos, it encourages risky, aggressive tactics.
Unlike most games of this type, in Tenderfoot Tactics, skills always do exactly what they say: there are no damage ranges or hit chances. You’ll never have to restart a combat because of a random number generator. Nevertheless, the battles are anything but predictable.
Chaos rom Complexity: Natural Systems
Water flows downhill, pools in valleys, and soaks into soil.
Plants propagate and draw moisture out of the soil.
Fire spreads through dry plants (and goblins).
Like in the real world, Tenderfoot Tactics’ natural systems are deterministic, but so richly interdependent that the results of an action are impossible to really know, and beautiful to watch unfold.
At the start of the game, your goblins will be relative outsiders to magic, but as you grow in power you’ll be able to evolve them into advanced breeds: Wizards and Woods Witches, Liches, Elementalists, and other strange creatures. Before long you’ll be calling down meteors, raising mountains, electrifying lakes, opening volcanic chasms, and much, much more.
Exploring the Archipelago
Again unlike most games of this type, Tenderfoot Tactics takes place in a tremendously large world, and has a lightweight, exploratory, nonlinear story.
Very early in the game, you’ll find yourself with an objective that is both distant and vague, and you’ll have to set your own route towards it. Don’t worry if you feel lost. Take some time to sail around, looking for landmarks or interesting features. Gather birds and use them to soar higher and further afield.
As you roam, your goblins will express their impulsive desires: to follow their nose to a nearby herb, or maybe to visit that town on the horizon. Take whatever cues seem interesting to you. There’s no wrong way to spend your time in the archipelago.
Tips for New Players
The tutorials are all available in your pause menu at any time. Don’t be nervous about skipping them if they’re too much to read at first, but do go read them eventually! The game is much more enjoyable with a full understanding of its systems, which are fairly simple.
You can change your goblins’ skills at any time out of combat, and for the starting breed, the base ‘goblin’, doing so is completely free.
The game features dynamic difficulty adjustment, and very few consequences for fleeing a battle, so if a fight is too hard for you, just run!
Okay thanks! Have fun with Tenderfoot Tactics! I think it looks, sounds, and plays beautifully on my Xbox Series S. It’s a strange game, and one I’m very proud of. I hope it gets its nasty little hooks in your brain like it does mine.
- Badru
Tenderfoot Tactics
Ice Water Games
$14.99MODERN TACTICAL RPG, INSPIRED BY THE CLASSICS A novel, deterministic combat system, with easy to grasp rules and astonishing depth. No random miss chances. No damage ranges. Manipulate the elements to turn the battlefield to your advantage, but beware the consequences, as nature is complex and fickle. Open chasms, raise mountains, boil lakes, drain rivers. Start fires you later regret. VAST OPEN-WORLD EXPLORATION Unearth ancient ruins, discover strange artefacts, and meet new friends, in a lush, painterly world. Explore the reaches of the archipelago by boat. Take to the skies as a bird to survey the landscape and plan the best route forward. For a generation, the terrible Fog – one vast, voiceless, and cruel spirit – has been eating the once-thick forests of the mainland. Now, with nowhere left to call home, and granted magic by the friendly spirits of the archipelago, one small party of would-be adventurers sets out. Find a way to save the many goblin towns of the rocky coast, discover the truth of the Fog, and, if possible, put an end to it.The post Go Goblin Mode in Tenderfoot Tactics on Xbox appeared first on Xbox Wire.
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Hey Xbox Insiders! We have a new Xbox Update Preview releasing to the Beta ring today.
It’s important we note that some updates made to these preview OS builds include background improvements that ensure a quality and stable build for Xbox consoles. We will continue to post these release notes, even when the noticeable changes to the UI are minimal or behind the scenes, so you’re aware when updates are coming to your device.
Details can be found below!
System Update Details
- OS Version: XB_FLT_2403ZN\25398.3778.240208-2200
- Available: 2 p.m. PT – February 13, 2024
- Mandatory: 3 a.m. PT – February 14, 2024
New Features and Experiences
We have exciting news! Beta users can expect something new coming to their Xbox Update Preview.
Installation (Xbox Series X|S)
We have made additional network optimizations to improve content downloads while games are running.
Fixes Included
Thanks to all the great feedback Xbox Insiders provide and the hard work of Xbox engineers, we are happy to announce the following fixes have been implemented with this build:
System
- Various updates to properly reflect local languages across the console.
- Note: Users participating in Preview may see “odd” text across the console. To learn more visit: What’s This? Learn More About Pseudo-Loc in Preview.
Known Issues
While known issues may have been listed in previous Xbox Insider Release Notes, they are not being ignored! However, it may take Xbox engineers more time to find a solution. If you experience any of these issues, we ask that you please follow any guidance provided and file feedback with Report a Problem.
Audio
- We have received reports of users experiencing intermittent issues with audio across the dashboard, games, and apps. If you have experienced issues, be sure you have the latest firmware updates for your TV and other equipment. If you’re unsure, you may need to contact the manufacturer for assistance.
- Note: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware updates, please submit feedback via Report a Problem immediately with the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”. Be sure to include as much information as possible:
- When did the issue start?
- Did you lose audio just in the game/app or system audio as well?
- Does changing the audio format resolve the issue? If yes, what was the format before and after?
- Does rebooting resolve the issue?
- What does your setup include? Equipment, layout, etc.
- And any additional information you can provide to reproduce the problem.
- Note: If you continue to experience issues after applying the latest firmware updates, please submit feedback via Report a Problem immediately with the “Reproduce with advanced diagnostics” option, then select the category “Console experiences” and “Console Audio Output Issues”. Be sure to include as much information as possible:
Networking
- We are investigating reports of an issue where the console may not connect to their network as expected on boot. If you experience this, be sure to report the issue via Report a Problem as soon as you’re able.
- Workaround: Wait a minute for the connection to establish. If your console still hasn’t connected, restart your Xbox from the Power Center or the guide. Learn more here: How to restart or power cycle your Xbox console.
As always, be sure to use Report a problem to keep us informed of any issues you encounter. We may not be able to respond to everyone, but the data we’ll gather is crucial to finding a resolution.
If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please visit the community subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help with your concerns.
When posting to the subreddit, please look through the most recent posts to see if your issue has already been posted or addressed. We always recommend adding to existing threads with the same issue before posting a new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, don’t forget to use “Report a Problem” before posting – the information shared in both places helps us understand your issue better.
Thank you to every Xbox Insider in the subreddit today and welcome to the community if you’re just joining us! We love that it has become such a friendly and community-driven hub of conversation and support.
For more information regarding the Xbox Insider Program follow us on Twitter. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding your Xbox Update Preview ring!
The post Xbox Insider Release Notes – Beta (2403.240208-2200) appeared first on Xbox Wire.
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The next expansion for Hearthstone is coming right alongside the game's 10th anniversary, and Blizzard has outlined its plans for both special occasions. The game will host a ton of in-game events on and around the official anniversary on March 11. Then, on March 19, the new Whizbang's Workshop expansion will add another new set of cards and mechanics, with a particular focus on paying homage to Hearthstone history.
Hearthstone's 10th Anniversary
To start, you can log in now to claim a special Harth Stonebrew card modeled after the game's innkeeper mascot. When you play Harth, your hand will be replaced with eight cards from notable moments in the Hearthstone meta, like the infamous Grim Patron combo. Plus you'll get 11 more gift cards--one for each class--that discovers one of that class's iconic spells.
From February 27-March 19, you can complete a free rewards track to earn golden versions of all the gifts, along with a Birthday coin. And on March 11, to mark the actual date of Hearthstone's anniversary, you can do a Legendary quest to earn a 10-Year Anniversary card back. A Hearthstone: Music from the Tavern (Anniversary Picks) album will launch on music services like Spotify and Apple Music, and there will be Twitch Drops for watching along with Hearthstone streamers.
Finally, the ever-changing Twist mode will speed through the entirety of Hearthstone history in a matter of days. On March 1, you'll be restricted only to legacy decks. Then on March 2, you'll be able to add the first expansion, Curse of Naxxramas, followed by the second expansion, Goblins vs. Gnomes, on March 3, and so on.
GalleryNew Expansion: Whizbang's Workshop
The new Whizbang's Workshop expansion will launch on March 19, with a few whizbang new mechanics to match. There's a new keyword, Miniaturize, which gives you a 1-Mana 1/1 "Mini" copy of any card that has the keyword. That lets you double up on effects with cheap bonuses. The new cards also feature classic throwback mechanics and references to cards from Hearthstone's past, like one revealed card that invokes the classic Spellstones. Another of these is the Zilliax Deluxe 3000, which lets you use modules to customize your own Zilliax in the deckbuilder, and even choose a cosmetic skin for it, to make Zilliax your own.
Logging in now will get you a card to start kicking off the Whizbang festivities early, Colifero the Artist. These new "artist" cards have special effects when you draw a card. Get it? Draw? Colifero will draw a card and then turn all of your in-play minions into a copy of it.
Whizbang's Workshop pre-purchases are now available in two tiers. Pre-purchasing either will get you two copies of Corridor Sleeper, one of the cards from the next set, which you can start using right away.
- Whizbang's Workshop Standard Bundle
- 60 card packs
- Two random Legendary cards
- Patches the Pirate card back
- Whizbang's Workshop Mega Bundle
- 80 card packs
- 10 golden packs
- One signature Legendary
- One Golden Legendary
- Patches the Pirate rogue hero skin
- Patches the Pirate card back
As always, the first expansion of the new year also means a new annual season of Hearthstone, with a new Core set. This one is being dubbed the Year of the Pegasus and will bring back lots of iconic older cards like Fiery War Axe and Leeroy Jenkins.
- Whizbang's Workshop Standard Bundle
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From its debut in 2011, Minecraft is a game that's never stopped evolving. Over the years, that has meant a truly ridiculous number of creative servers brought to life by fans, as well as packs of downloadable content that bring everything from Star Wars to SpongeBob Squarepants and even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to the game. Now, you can take a trip to Universal Studios in Minecraft, thanks to the game's newest DLC pack stuffed with rides, games, and plenty of movie characters.
With the Universal Studios Experience, which was officially released on February 13 and is available now, some of the most iconic theme park rides of all time--including two that no longer exist in the United States--have been faithfully rebuilt in Minecraft, along with a bunch of minigames and an entire theme park to explore.
It's important to note that, unlike 2021's Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom DLC, the Universal Studios experience isn't a recreation of a single park. Instead, the map borrows elements from both Universal Studios Hollywood and Orlando, while also bringing in new elements from the movies the in-game rides are based on. You can see a map of the in-game theme park below.
Now, let's talk about those rides. Obviously, with a Universal Studios-based DLC, you might be wondering about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World--two of the best-known properties at Universal's parks. Unfortunately, those aren't owned by Universal, so they're not in the game. What is in the DLC pack, though, is an excellent sampling of Universal's past and present.
As part of the Universal Studios Experience, you'll get to ride Minecraft recreations of attractions like The ET Adventure (Orlando), The Mummy (Orlando), Skull Island: Reign of Kong (Orlando), the World Famous Studio Tour (Hollywood), and Jurassic World: The Ride (Hollywood), along with beloved former attractions Back To the Future: The Ride and Jaws.
While it would have been easy to create a quick and sloppy game based on dumbed-down versions of these rides (see 2001's Universal Studios Theme Parks Adventure), a great amount of work went into capturing the attractions in their new Minecraft forms.
GalleryTo properly judge the Universal Studios Experience, I was able to visit the Orlando park in person, riding a number of the rides featured in the DLC. While I love theme parks, I'm by no means an easy customer--doubly so, where Minecraft is concerned. Not only have I spent far too many hours in the official and unofficial Disney theme parks in the game, I built my own theme park on a Minecraft Bedrock server during the pandemic. At this point, it's going to take a lot to really impress me.
That said, the Universal Studios Experience is a pleasant surprise. The detail and attention that went into recreating these attractions is top-notch. In fact, I was genuinely shocked how much work went into something like The ET Adventure, which is the oldest attraction at Universal Orlando Resort--and the sole remaining ride from the day the park opened.
Even with a ride like this that would be considered ancient alongside modern theme-park marvels, every detail was accounted for, including the overly-colorful Green Planet home of ET and the cast of alien characters we meet there. You can check out a look at the ET attraction below, but a word of warning: The sound in the video is not final. We asked Universal and Microsoft about the ride audio in the DLC pack and were assured that the rides have the sound effects and music you'll likely be expecting throughout the park. So, yes, chances are ET's teacher Botanicus will speak to you within this Minecraft recreation, which is pretty cool for theme-park nerds.
The rides aren't all there is to do in the Universal Studios Experience, though. There's also a series of minigames inspired by the rides. Upon arriving at the park, you may notice some letters from the Universal Studios sign are missing, and the only way to get them back is to complete a series of games that pit you against iconic movie villains like Bruce (the shark from Jaws), dinosaurs, and even the Mummy as you attempt to save the theme park.
I didn't get to sample this part of the game, but it certainly looks like a chaotically good time. Besides, after the shark from Jaws terrorizes you on a boat, why wouldn't you want a little revenge?
As you can tell from the map image above, there are also a number of eateries and shops in the park, where you can buy trinkets and snacks for your Universal Studios Experience adventure.
Ultimately, these theme park-based DLC packs from Minecraft are attempting to scratch an itch many of us have from time to time. Whether we have memories from our childhood of going to theme parks to ride our favorite rides, or are simply looking for an escape that won't break the bank, recreating these real-life experiences inside video games we can play at home provides a welcome level of availability. After all, we went through a pretty tumultuous time where we were all stuck at home without the joys that these theme park Minecraft expansions can bring.
While they may not be picture-perfect recreations of the attractions we love, given the limitations of Minecraft, they do carry the spirit of the rides enough to appeal to a side of you that you might not even know exists. And, if nothing else, this DLC pack might explain to you the ridiculously complex ET lore many people have no idea exists.
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Green Man Gaming has a ton of great PC gaming deals right now, giving you a chance to snag a bunch of new releases, upcoming games, and beloved hits at big discounts. You'll find titles like Helldivers 2, Ultros, and Dragon's Dogma 2, and many more games at some of the lowest prices we've ever seen.
Keep in mind that many of these deals are exclusive to GMG XP members. Thankfully, signing up for the membership program is free. However, to get the XP pricing, you'll first need to earn 10 XP to unlock the discounts. Luckily, this threshold only requires you to spend $1 , but you can easily hit that quota by purchasing another game that doesn't require XP membership (or by searching for cheap $1 games in the GMG catalog).
Games that require XP membership are marked with (XP) in the below list.
Along with new releases and preorders, a bunch of other titles are included in the savings. If you're interested in Stalker 2, which launches later this year and is available to preorder now, consider picking up the Stalker Bundle for just $8 (down from $40), as it includes all three existing games in the franchise. And if you're looking forward to Dragon's Dogma 2, you'll find the original Dragon's Dogma for $4.18 (down from $40).
Here's a look at our favorite deals at GMG.
New release game deals
- Ultros (XP) -- $18 ($
25) - Helldivers 2 (XP) -- $33.19 ($
40) - Helldivers 2: Super Citizen Edition (XP) -- $50 ($
60) - Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League -- $57.39 ($
70) - Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Deluxe Edition -- $82 ($
100) - Achilles: Legends Untold (XP) -- $8.34 ($
17) - Airhead (XP) -- $14.39 ($
20) - Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy -- $41 ($
50) - Tekken 8 -- $58.79 ($
70) - Banishers: Ghost of New Eden -- $42 ($
50) - Turnip Boy Robs a Bank (XP) -- $12 ($
15)
Game preorder deals
- Dragon's Dogma 2 -- $57 ($
70) - Dragon's Dogma 2: Deluxe Edition -- $65 ($
80) - Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition (XP) -- $51 ($
60) - Outcast: A New Beginning (XP) -- $39 ($
60) - Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes -- $40 ($
50) - South Park: Snow Day (XP) -- $23 ($
30) - WWE 2K24 (XP) -- $51 ($
60) - WWE 2K24: Deluxe Edition (XP) -- $85 ($
100) - WWE 2K24: 40 Years of WrestleMania Edition (XP) -- $102 ($
120) - Pacific Drive (XP) -- $21.59 ($
30)
More game deals
- Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon -- $36 ($
60) - Destiny 2: Armory Collection (30th Anniversary and Forsaken Pack) -- $6.38 ($
30) - Hogwarts Legacy -- $30.59 ($
60) - Lords of the Fallen -- $30.41 ($
60) - Stalker Bundle (XP) -- $8 ($
40) - Dark Souls: Remastered -- $17.40 ($
40) - Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin -- $18 ($
40) - Dark Souls 3 -- $27 ($
60) - Hitman: World of Assassination (XP) -- $22.40 ($
70) - Remnant 2 (XP) -- $24 ($
50) - Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Master Edition (XP) -- $17 ($
60) - Resident Evil 4: Biohazard (XP) -- $26 ($
60) - Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen (XP) -- $4.18 ($
30) - The Division 2: Warlords of New York Expansion -- $7.74 ($
30) - Rainbow Six Siege -- $6.88 ($
20) - GTA V: Premium Edition -- $13 ($
30) - Tiny Tina's Wonderlands: Chaotic Great Edition -- $17.60 ($
80) - Street Fighter 6 (XP) -- $34.44 ($
60) - Mafia: Definitive Edition -- $8.80 ($
40) - Devil May Cry 5 + Vergil (XP) -- $8.61 ($
30) - Max Payne 3 -- $5.28 ($
20) - Civilization 6 Anthology -- $22 ($
100) - NBA 2K24 Kobe Bryant Edition -- $18 ($
60) - Borderlands 3: Ultimate Edition -- $26 ($
100)
- Ultros (XP) -- $18 ($
No Major Sony Franchise Game Releases Are Coming Until April 2025 At Earliest
in Gaming News & Releases Feeds
Posted
It looks like the next year will be a relatively quiet one on the first-party front for Sony, as the company has said that it will not be releasing any major PlayStation franchise games before April 2025 at the earliest. Speaking in a financial call, Sony Interactive Entertainment boss Hiroki Totoki explained that while "major" projects are currently in development, it'll be focusing more on its live-service games throughout its next financial year, which ends on March 31, 2025.
"Regarding first-party software, we aim to continue to focus on producing high-quality works and developing live-service games," Totoki said. "But while major projects are currently under development, we do not plan to release any new major existing franchise titles next fiscal year like God of War Ragnarok and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Although the burden of acquisition-related costs will ease next fiscal year, we expect profit from first-party software to decrease slightly from this fiscal year due to the impact of the decrease in sales."
While it's too early to expect new Spider-Man or God of War games, this does rule out new entries from some of Sony's other big franchises, like Ghost of Tsushima or The Last of Us, in 2025 At the same time, new video game franchises like FairGame$, Marathon, and Concord are in varying stages of development, while the year ahead will see the release of several PlayStation timed exclusives like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Rise of the Ronin, and Stellar Blade.
The other big news coming out of the briefing was Sony confirming that it had failed to meet its ambitious sales target of selling 25 million PS5s during the current financial year, leading it to revise this projection to 21 million sales. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 has also sold over 10 million copies to date and the company mentioned that the PS5 is now in the "latter stage" of its lifecycle.
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